Elon Musk’s Aides Take Over U.S. Government HR Agency, Restrict Access to Key Systems

Elon Musk’s team has taken control of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), restricting senior career officials' access to critical databases containing sensitive personal data of millions of federal employees. The move, part of President Donald Trump’s plan to streamline the federal workforce, has raised concerns over oversight and cybersecurity risks.

Since Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, Musk’s aides, including former SpaceX and Tesla executives, have rapidly installed allies at OPM. Some senior officials lost access to Enterprise Human Resources Integration, a database with Social Security numbers, pay grades, and other workforce details. While affected employees can still use email, they are locked out of key personnel data.

OPM’s new leadership has also implemented drastic changes, including offering buyouts with eight months’ pay and encouraging employees to leave. Memos sent by acting OPM head Charles Ezell have bypassed traditional government communication channels, causing further confusion among agency staff. Some employees have compared the takeover to a “hostile corporate restructuring.”

Musk’s influence extends beyond OPM. Reports indicate that Musk’s allies at the U.S. Treasury Department have clashed with senior officials over access to payment systems, prompting high-ranking Treasury official David Lebryk to step down.

Among the new appointees at OPM are SpaceX’s former VP of HR, Brian Bjelde, and ex-Tesla engineer Riccardo Biasini. Amanda Scales, a former Musk employee, now serves as OPM’s chief of staff. The changes have sparked concerns about government transparency and potential political interference in federal workforce management.

Neither Musk nor the White House has responded to requests for comment on the situation.